The tune was written by Joseph Brackett (1797–1882) in 1848.[2] Brackett, a lifelong resident of Maine, first joined the Shakers at Gorham, Maine, when his father's farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement.[3]

The song was largely unknown outside Shaker communities until Aaron Copland used its melody for the score of Martha Graham's ballet Appalachian Spring (Shakers once worshipped on Holy Mount, in the Appalachians), first performed in 1944. Copland used "Simple Gifts" a second time in 1950 in his first set of Old American Songs for voice and piano, which was later orchestrated. Many people thought that the tune of "Simple Gifts" was a traditional Celtic one but both the music and original lyrics are actually the compositions of Brackett. "Simple Gifts" has been adapted or arranged many times since by folksingers and composers.[4]

Several Shaker manuscripts indicate that this is a "Dancing Song" or a "Quick Dance." "Turning" is a common theme in Christian theology, but the references to "turning" in the last two lines have also been identified as dance instructions.[1] When the traditional dance is performed properly, each dancer ends up where he or she began, "come 'round right."

A manuscript of Mary Hazzard of the New Lebanon, New York, Shaker community records this original version of the melody:

The song quite closely resembles several repetitions of the opening measures of William Byrd's renaissance composition, "The Barley Break", which Byrd intended to imitate country children playing a folk game.[citation needed] Similarly, Brackett is claimed to have come up with the song as an imitation of what folk music sounds like.[citation needed]

The Carter lyrics were adapted, in ignorance of the actual origins, without authorization or acknowledgments by Ronan Hardiman for Michael Flatley's dance musical Lord of the Dance, which opened in 1996. The melody is used at various points throughout the show, including the piece titled "Lord of the Dance."[7] Other adaptations of the lyrics by Carter have occurred in the widespread belief that they are traditional, and in the public domain.[citation needed]

Simple Gifts was performed in 2009 by the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps as part of their program "Ballet For Martha.

The Norfolk, England, Kipper Family, Sid and Henry Kipper (Dick Nudds and Chris Sugden) - wrote and recorded a version of Lord of the Dance, calling it Bored of the Dance. It tells of the men attending a village hall social evening being forced by the women to join in the various dances when they would rather be drinking with their friends, or getting the women to bed. It has the memorable line: "It's hard to dance when you're lying on your back".

John Williams' Air and Simple Gifts was premiered at U.S. President Obama's inauguration on January 21, 2009. It was performed by Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Itzhak Perlman (violin), Anthony McGill (Clarinet) and Gabriela Montero (piano). It was a classical quartet based on the original Simple Gifts.

The West Virginia University marching band plays an arrangement of "Simple Gifts" as part of the band's pre game show for football games. The band's version of the song also has been featured in the university's television advertisements.

An a cappella arrangement of "Simple Gifts" is included on Minneapolis choir Cantus' 2011 album That Eternal Day.

Roger Lee Hall has arranged "Simple Gifts" for chorus and it is performed by The Canterbury Singers on the album Celestial Praises.

You can also hear the theme intertwined into "Over the Rainbow / Simple Gifts" by the Piano Guys.

"Simple Gifts" is the opening song in a combined dance, music and theatrical collaboration called "Angel Reapers," by Martha Clarke and Alfred Uhry. The work is a celebration of the Shakers, their history, their practices and their accomplishments. It first appeared in its present form in Boston and New York in November 2011. It has since been revived by the Signature Theatre Company in New York in February 2016.

"Simple Gifts" was used as the theme song for the syndicated newsmagazine American Journal, originally starting as a majestic arrangement in early seasons and promos, and then upgrading to a rock format in later seasons and promos.

From 1993 through 1998, an instrumental arrangement of the song was used as the theme song for the syndicated news magazine TV program American Journal.

On the November 23, 2009 edition of WWE Raw, "Simple Gifts" was used as the entrance theme for a team of "Pilgrims" composed of Jillian Hall, Layla and Michelle McCool for a "Mayflower Melee" Match.

On January 12, 2011 "Simple Gifts," in an arrangement by Grant Cochran, was sung at the Memorial for the victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting at the McKale Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

In Aug Sept 2012 "Simple Gifts" was used as the melody in the background, of TV spot ads for both Whirlpool, Simple Designs, Washer Dryers, and also Arborday com .

The melody was also adapted and used in the 2008 song The Greatest Man That Ever Lived off Weezer's Red Album and Michael Flatley's river dance performances.